Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California in the northern Mojave desert, bordering the Great Basin désert. During summer, it is thought to be the hottest place on earth. Death Valley is home to the Timbisha tribe of Native Americans, formerly known as the Panamint Shoshone, who have inhabited the valley for at least the past millennium.
Barker Ranch is located inside Death Valley National Park in eastern California. Used as a mining and recreational property from the 1940s to the 1960s, it is infamous due to its association with Charles Manson and his "family". It was the family's de facto headquarters.